Monday, April 29, 2013

Togashi's Empire

So the book should be hitting the selves soon. It is due to release today and thus most players should be able to get it sometime this week.

Now going into this chapter I didn't expect to like it. I don't think it's any secret that the Dragon are one of my least favorite clans (vying for that position with the Mantis and Spider :P). So honestly I didn't expect to like the chapter. I've always felt that Togashi as a character was jerk and he was given far to much credit for a person who didn't seem to act except to make peoples lives more difficult.

So if you asked me before reading this chapter what I would think of a Togashi dynasty I think the words lame and boring would have been what I said.

But I was pleasantly surprised.

So what makes this setting so appealing? Well for starters it is truly a different kind of Rokugan. Well one of my favorite aspects of L5R has always been the spiritual side and Togashi's empire is filled to the brim on spiritualness. It also pulls martial to the fore front as a setting fixture.

One of the featured changes to Togashi's empire is the lack of a Kitsu family (my favorite Lion family!!!!! :( ). I think in this regards I would have added mechanics for a Lion themed monks school but the reasoning for it is very sound. In Togashi's empire the Lion may respect shugenja but they do not practice magic itself. They tend to rely on the gifts of men and their own personal strength. Fertile ground for Kolat I might add ;).

But what really appealed to me is the Hantei family. In this version of Rokugan Hantei goes off to form his own clan known as the Owl clan. His sacred duty is to protect the empire from non human threats. So this pretty much puts them in a position to deal with things from Naga to Nezumi. If it's not a tainted oni it likely falls under the Owl to deal with.

And with the Owl clan comes the mechanics. The Owl clan features a Hantei bushi school, a new take on the Otomo school and a new Seppun shugenja school. There is also a new monk Order and family bonuses for the Hantei and a new family called the Yoshun. There is also the Owl blades as a sacred weapon to round things out mechanically speaking.

Check out a future out a future update on idea's to add the Owl clan to a game not features around the Togashi dynasty. Until next time.